Obtaining Charity

I understand that I wrote a blog post about this subject before but these past two or so weeks I have had some experiences that helped me understand more about what charity is. To start off with, perhaps I should write this in story format just to illustrate my point. First off, I work at a theater and recently we have hired several people. A month ago when we hired a small group, there was a girl (We'll call her A.) who didn't understand things as quickly as some of the others. I found that I still lacked patience and often felt frustrated with her. I also began to work with two boys who caught on quickly to everything and remembered the things I taught them during training, and for me it was easy to love these two. A week to two weeks ago, we then hired a couple of more new employees and of this group I was assigned to train one of them (Here he'll be called by L.) who broke several rules in the first day, and so I said to myself, "He will not make it long here." A few days after that experience I felt ill and during a small rush had a coughing fit, which caused me to rush out of the concession stand, leaving L alone to deal with the rest of the people. Not only did he handle the group of people well, but he also took the time to rush back with a courtesy cup of water for me.
I realized that people are not always how we originally envision them.
As the charity I felt for the two boys grew, I knew that I needed to have that same charity for others such as A and L, and so I prayed. I asked Heavenly Father to help me to have charity specifically for A and L and within a week I felt a great love for both of these individuals. As we love, we will love more; if we lack charity we can pray for it and Heavenly Father will give it to us. In a way, it is like the line in a circle, continuous and reaching and touching the next line segment in the circle. Such is life. God loves us and we can both feel his love for us and direct that love toward others, who will then reach back in love toward us and others.  

The Power of Testimony and the Strength that comes from the Scriptures

This week has been a wonderful learning experience for me. I am planning on taking a big step and applying for the BFA program at UVU, but I have been extremely worried. I would definitely not consider myself the greatest graphic designer, especially when compared to my classmates, but I want to take the multiple things I have learned from each area (mainly Graphic Design, Illustration, and Digital Media) and do something different. I am not like my talented classmates because I am different; I am me. However, that does not relieve my lack of self-confidence. One morning as I was pondering about this upcoming trial, I read from 3 Nephi 4:8-10 of the Book of Mormon, which says,
"And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites, when they saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with far because of the terror of their armies.
But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them."
The lesson I received at the moment of reading these verses is that when our enemies are upon us (or our enemy, or fear), if we raise up our voices to our God, He will deliver us. I felt afterward that the application for the program is like an enemy to me because I fear it. When I begin to fear what will come ahead I need to fall on my knees and pray to my Heavenly Father, and He will protect me and deliver me.
The second experience I had occurred at school. I was talking to my friend and asked him to share his best missionary experience, of which he shared his experience and then testified, perhaps unknowingly, of the power of the priesthood and priesthood blessings. The testimony was simple, but it was powerful. Testimonies are often like that. Oftentimes we share what we know to be true, not intending it to be a testimony, but yet it is. I know from personal experience, from being on the receiving end, that sharing testimony of Christ and of God's plan brings a powerful witness of the truth. 

I have failed in writing once again. It becomes a little more difficult when you are no longer writing letters home from the mission field. I have decided however to do a second blog about a picture a day, borrowed from several artists (more info coming about that).
For now, my first topic I would like to cover is about Blogs. Last week in my lectures class the guest speaker (Jim Hadley? John Hadley? Some artist with the last name of Hadley) said that to have and write in a blog is important because it allows free expression. This in turn helps anyone with a blog, who writes in it, to be creative.
Second, today in Institute we talked about Mary, mother of Jesus. The class is about Women in the Scriptures, and so we look for and talk about the qualities of the women in the scriptures and how those qualities can be applied to us. Mary, as we discussed, was highly favored of the Lord because she trusted in Him, she was virtuous, humble, faithful, grateful, and submissive. As to the submissiveness, she said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy words" or "Thy will be done." I was thinking about this a few weeks ago during the Christmas season. Mary was given the most difficult task of anyone in the scriptures, other than Christ (and you might notice later on in Luke 22:42 that Christ basically says the same thing as his mother, just as a fun fact). Think of it: Angel Gabriel comes to Mary, a girl of 13 years, and says, "Hey Mary, you have been chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world. Oh, and if you are feeling burdened by this thought now, wait until your son is 33 years old. He is going to have to pay the price for the sins of all mankind and will be crucified three days later."
Mary knew the prophecies about the Savior, and I believe it would have been very difficult for her to realize that she was going to give birth to the Christ only to watch him die in a little over thirty years. However, as the scriptures state, she responded, "Be it unto me..." or "I will do it."
What I likened to myself at that time when I was reading about this several weeks back, I thought, If Mary could give birth to the Savior and know what she would have to do and what would happen in the coming years, and yet said she would willingly do it (And she did do it!), I can do difficult things, too.
I know that whatever comes our way, we can do difficult things. Why? Because God will help us. If He gives us a challenge or a calling, He will help us through it.   

I am a ward missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I received this calling only a few weeks after arriving home from serving a mission in Guatemala City, Guatemala. When I received the calling I thought, "Yes, now I can continue the mission work!" and I am still grateful for the opportunity to have this calling, but it is difficult. The calling of a ward missionary mostly includes reactivating the less active members under the direction of the ward mission leader. Sounds easy enough, right?

It is not easy. In the mission field the most heart-breaking times occurred when we passed by and called the homes of the less active or inactive members, we invited them to activities or church, and then they refused to come. These experiences happen now to ward missionaries, and speaking for myself I feel often like a failure.

Fortunately for us all, it is all right (We discussed earlier today about how the word all equals 100%). I have learned that I must do my best and then leave the rest to the Lord. Christ already paid the price and atoned for us, and this means that when we fail, He will complete what we cannot complete alone.

As with anything else in life, we may fall short and we may be too weak to accomplish the tasks given to us, but we can do anything with Jesus Christ, as the Book of Mormon missionary, Ammon, said, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things (Alma 26:12)".

Life Lessons from a Dog #1

Your dog looks up at you through the window and whines. He wants you to come outside and play, but you are busy at the moment with homework or chores. “Just a moment!” you call to him, but he doesn’t listen; He is too anxious to play. You try to hurry through your work so that you can speedily go out to him.

Wait a moment. Does this sound familiar? Let’s put this to a human being.

You look up at what you desire and plead within, “Oh, if only I can have that,” or if applied to a friend or family member, “Do they care about me? Why is she taking so long? Is he ignoring me?” They come over to talk to you but soon has to return to the task they were attempting to finish, and you think to yourself, “Maybe they don’t like me.”

The truth is that oftentimes there are tasks that we must finish first in order to place our full attention on someone else. Just as we try making the best time for our dog, other people want to give us the best of their time.

Prayer: The Constant Communication Line

I am not very consistent in writing blog posts but sometimes there are experiences that must be shared. Recently I had one of these experiences. In my early childhood days prayer was an essential part of my day. I prayed every night and asked for every person in my life to be blessed. In my early teens I was taught to pray each morning and night and to pray in a certain pattern, which included addressing Heavenly Father, giving thanks, asking for those things I thought I needed, and then ending in Christ's name. In my later teens I continued to use the pattern I had been taught and I even added the habit of praying at meal time. However, throughout this lifetime of praying as I was taught to pray, I felt empty. I felt that my prayers meant little and that they were not quite reaching the ears of my Heavenly Father.
It wasn't until I realized that I really needed my Heavenly Father's help, especially in the mission field, that I began to pray with earnest. No one taught me how to pray with real intent, and I wasn't handed a pattern to follow. I simply began to talk with my Heavenly Father. I opened up my heart to Him and spoke to Him as I would speak to my dearest friends. I exercised faith that He was listening and that He would answer. I no longer treated Him as a voice recorder, but I treated Him as a being that would listen to me and respond. As I have continued this habit after serving a mission I have gained greater trust in my Heavenly Father as well. In the last few months I have prayed for something of importance to me and though it took those several months Heavenly Father recently answered that prayer. Not all prayers will be answered the moment we want them to be answered and perhaps not in the way we would like, but I firmly testify that those prayers will be answered. Our Father has not deserted us in this dark world; He is near and He is listening.

Link: Thomas S. Monson, Stand in Holy Places Oct 2011

A Prophet's Prophecies Are Fulfilled

This past week my family and I went down to Southern Utah. The sights there are beautiful and the change of scenery was relaxing, but as we traveled I noticed more than the scenery. I noticed that other visitors were speaking different languages. People from other countries around the world had come to see Utah!
Many of us here in Utah have desires to leave the state and visit other places like California, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Central America, Europe, or Asia, and we take our own state for granted. While we leave to seek other wonderful landmarks, we probably fail to realize that people from those parts want to come see what Utah offers. In this, a prophecy is fulfilled.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preceding Thomas S. Monson, shared, "On a dark and winter day in 1849, in the old tabernacle, when the people were hungry and cold, Brigham Young said that the day would come when this would become the great highway of the nations and people from over the earth would visit us here. We are witnessing that day and the fulfillment of that remarkable prophecy."
What the true prophet prophesies will come true because it is what God would tell us if He was upon the earth speaking to us. Doctrine and Covenants, section one and verse 38 states,
"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."

President Thomas S. Monson, in general conference, told us, "Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal voyage without providing the means for whereby we could receive from Him guidance to ensure our safe return. I speak of prayer. I speak too of the whisperings from that still, small voice; and I do not overlook the holy scriptures, which contain the word of the Lord and the words of the prophets- provided to us to help us successfully cross the finish line.
At some period in our mortal mission, there appears the faltering step, the wan smile, the pain of sickness- even the fading of summer, the approach of autumn, the chill of winter, and the experience we call death...
As the result of Christ's victory over the grave, we shall all be resurrected... Our Heavenly Father rejoices for those who keep His commandments. He is concerned also for the lost child, the tardy teenager, the wayward youth, the delinquent parent. Tenderly the Master speaks to these and indeed to all: 'Come back. Come up. Come in. Come home. Come unto me."
I know and testify that there is a true prophet and seer on the earth today that guides us and tells us what Heavenly Father desires that the world knows. His name is Thomas S. Monson, and he is the prophet until he returns home to our Heavenly Father; and after his work is finished God will call another prophet in his stead, but never will our Father and our Lord forsake us and revoke his mouthpiece from the earth again.

Face Forward

I was reminded of an experience I had while serving a mission in Guatemala, in the mountains. Each day we would see men and young boys (and sometimes even the women) carrying large loads of sticks on their backs, which were supported by a rope or belt strapped across their foreheads. Each time the Guatemalan was bent forward as if the load of sticks burdened them. Each of us, like the Guatemalans, have burdens that we have to carry. If we only had the types of burdens that those Guatemalans had, we probably wouldn't suffer so much, but unfortunately, with each burden we have comes fear.
For me, my fear is of the future. It is peculiar because throughout my life I have heard and continuously hear, ''Have great confidence in your future." Do you ever fear the future? It is difficult not to fear it. We have so many uncertainties and many decisions to make. However, we must have faith, and faith and fear cannot coexist.
There is a scripture that aids me whenever I have doubts about my future or when my burdens seem too large to deal with. The scripture is from the Doctrine and Covenants, section 122 and verse 7:
"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
Our burdens, our trials, and our experiences are for our good. Sometimes it seems quite the opposite, but these words are truth. We also have the words from the present prophet, spoken almost exactly a year ago at the April 2011 General Conference. President Thomas S. Monson said,
"I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments."
"My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."
Maybe you (whomever reads this) have a challenge in your life at this moment. Maybe you have a doubt or a particular fear, but know that all that is uncomfortable and bad will pass. Our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy so He gives us a trial to help us grow a little, and then He removes it so that we can enjoy the peace after the storms. I want to finalize with something that my mom shared; it says, "That the birds of worry and care fly above your head, this you cannot change. But that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent." (Chinese Proverb)

The Process of Service

First, take off the cap, and then grab a scrub brush; Fill a bucket with water.... Well, I actually doubt that service has a process, but I do know that service has a purpose. When I placed the title ''The Process of Service,'' I planned to refer to what makes up service. The Christmas stories go that children never see Santa's elves because after all the hard work they do all year they stay at the workshop on Christmas. In memory of Santa's elves I have a term called ''Elfing,'' which I use when I am going to do some small act of service in secret. For this present circumstance, ''Elfing" will also act as an acronym to describe what service includes.
1) E- Easy. Surely service includes donating large sums of money to charities, right? No. Although it is a great idea to donate money, service is much simpler. Most mothers and wives would be just as happy with the dishes washed than to receive several roses (and it is less expensive). Most individuals would appreciate even the smallest act of service; I know I would. Service ideas can be as simple as writing a note of encouragement, cleaning off driveways, walkways, or cars during the snowy season, or even being a friend. The truth is that whether large or small, serving will brighten your day.

2)L- Love. Today in the home wards (I had to give a talk in one) the high councilmen spoke about women using the book Daughters of My Kingdom. I started reading it and came across a section titled ''Charity never faileth,'' which happens to be the LDS Relief Society motto. Under this section I found a quote by Emmeline B. Wells:
''It is my strongest desire that our young women of today be made to comprehend the work of the early members who, without the facilities of the present time, comforted the sad and distressed, visited the widow and fatherless, and were like ministering angels."
If we serve we can be like 'ministering angels'. This definitely testifies how important service really is. In the Book of Mormon, in Alma 7:24, a prophet teaches, "And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always about in good works." When we serve with charity, or rather a pure love like Christ's, we too can be 'ministering angels' and servants of God.

3) F- Faith. Remember that scripture I used from Alma 7:24? Faith is one of the requirements of true service. We must have faith to serve with the assurance that although no one sees us serving we will receive the blessings anyway. In addition, I at least find that sometimes if I want to do something discretely for someone else, I need faith that they will not see me in the process.

4) I- Individual Spiritual Growth. Are we serving for praise or as a selfless act? Elder V. Dallas Merrell of the Seventy said, "Service involves us in a process of growth. We learn how to be effective servants step by step over time, even as the mortal Savior's youthful development was described as grace upon grace. My own very first memory is of imperfectly helping my mother by taking her a fresh diaper to use with our new baby. That was a beginning, although I can see now that I was outrunning my brother, Max, to get the diaper first and win Mother's praise. My early home teaching was with my uncle, Charles Lybbert; we did it regularly, but I suspect I sometimes went to avoid embarrassment from failing to do my duty. Learning to serve for the right reason is a vital part of our individual spiritual progress." We can build our testimony of the Savior's gospel and strengthen our own spirits as we serve.

5) N- Nothing-get-back. It is a lengthy name, but as we serve we should expect nothing in return for what we give of our time, talents, and resources. However, as we serve selflessly and willingly we benefit, though as little as a feeling of peace and lack of regret. I read a poem that states:
"I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody's need made me blind;
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind." (Anonymous)

6) G- Gratitude. When we serve we show God how grateful we are for what He has given us. Mosiah 2:17 in the Book of Mormon says (if I can go so far as to say it 'says'), "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." This means that when we serve others we are serving God!
I find that when I serve others I fill a void in my life. I love serving others, and I especially love doing it when others cannot see that I am doing it because it leaves them surprised and I have to be sneaky doing it. So my challenge for all those that read my posts is to go out and do a little more service, and make at least one of those an ''elfing'' service project.

Finish

Recently I heard a poem that reminded me of my mission. It is one of my favorite poems because it can apply to each one of us so well. Have you ever felt like a failure, or felt like giving up because you are behind a little? I have. I often ponder 'What if I had tried? What if I had continued? Where would I be now?' Many of us have that question pass through our heads time and time again, 'What if?'

Something I have learned within the last two years is to never give up and never quit. The poem that I heard is called "The Race'' by D. H. Groberg.

''Quit!" "Give up, you're beaten!" they shout at me and plead,
"There's just too much against you now, this time you can't succeed."
And as I started to hang my head in front of failure's face,
My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene.
For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A children's race, young boys, young men; now I remember well.
Excitement, sure, but also fear; it wasn't hard to tell.

They all lined up so full of hope. Each thought to win the race
Or tie for first, if not that, at least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son,
And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they sped, as if they were on fire
To win, to be the hero there, was each boy's desire.
And one boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd,
Was running near the lead and thought, "My dad will be so proud."

But as he speeded down the field, across the shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arm flew out to brace,
And 'mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.
So, down he fell, and with him, hope. He couldn't win it now.

Embarrassed, sad, he only wished he'd disappear somehow.
But, as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
Which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win the race!"
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that's all.
And ran with all his mind and might to make up for the fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
His mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished he had quit before with only one disgrace.
"I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race."
But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face.
That steady look that said again, "Get up and win the race!"

So, he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last;
"If I'm to gain those yards," he thought, "I've got to run real fast!"
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten,
But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
"There's no sense running more. Three strikes, I'm out... why try?"

The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away.
So far behind, so error-prone, a loser all the way.
"I've lost, so what's the use?" he thought, ''I'll live with my disgrace."
But, then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face.
"Get up," an echo sounded low, "get up and take your place.
You weren't meant for failure here; get up and win the race."
With borrowed will, "Get up," it said, "You haven't lost at all,
For winning is no more than this- to rise each time you fall."

So up he rose to win once more. And with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been.
Still, he gave it all he had, and ran as though to win.
Three times he fallen, stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner, as he crossed the line, first place,
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen crossed the finish line, last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud,
You would have thought he won the race, to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad, he sadly said, "I didn't do so well."
"To me you won," his father said, "You rose each time you fell."
And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
"Quit!" "Give up, you're beaten!" They still shout in my face,
But another voice within me says, "Get up and win the race!"

When I heard this poem, I was reminded of a poem I wrote in the mission field that described my own personal mission experiences. Sometimes I felt like the narrator of the poem by D. H. Groberg. I believe each of us feels like this often nearly each day of our lives.

They told me that I'd never be great, but I took the climb.
They told me I'd never reach the top, but I made it up just fine.
I grew breathless at a couple of points, but I enjoyed the sights.
At times it rained until I was soaked and I didn't sleep well each night.
My muscles were sore and I felt ill. I nearly wished to give in.
And it made me discouraged to think about how their faces would each have a grin.
Their mocking and laughter would bring me to tears
As they tell me I shouldn't have tried,
And they'd point and laugh at my attempt as I stood there and cried.

With a prayer in my heart I remembered what God wanted me to be.
I put one foot in front of the other and ignored all that could happen to me.
And with a smile on my face I kept walking,
Determination played in my mind.
Though it was painful I kept hiking, and I continued trying to make the climb.
I honestly tell you that it was hard; I wanted to give up many times.
But though they said I couldn't do it, I indeed made the climb.

Our Heavenly Father wants us all to finish, but He does not give us a deadline. In the end the question will not be, "When did you finish? Did you finish first? Did you finish last?" The question most likely will be, "Did you finish?" If we keep pressing forward, doing all we can do, we will be able to finish and reach the greatest goal and prize: Eternal life.